THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY October 26, 1954 From the Clacutta End East Bengal Refugees Refugees from camps in other States are returning to Calcutta because they cannot adjust them-, selves to the new environment. There is also a renewed influx of refugees from East Bengal. Drastic social and economic changes in the State are necessary to rehabilitate them.
NDIA is a land of vast dis tions may have aggravated its prob cultivate, the soil that they do no I tances. There are sharp varia lems; but it did not create them. know. Some of them were helpec tions in climate in different parts Throughout history, cynics say, it has to set themselves up in some occu of the country, even as the habits been a problem State. Bengal, the pation. They tried; but failed to and traditions of the people in pandits recall, was an area which fit in, because the type of artisar various parts differ widely. But even the roving Pandavas disap work they used to do in East Bengal there is unity in diversity. Religious proved of. They visited many parts is different from what they are now festivals and ceremonies are not of Indiain their incognito state. being asked to do. necessarily similar in all the parts There are traces of their wanderings of the country. But their underly in the Elephanta Caves, according to THE ' DESERTERS ' ing theme is the same. In details, one theory, in Bombay in the west These deserters, as they are offi they vary. But in essence, they to Manipur in Assam in the east. cially called, from the rehabilitatior mean and signify similar themes and But there is no trace of their stay camps of the neighbouring States motives. or passage in Bengal. Bengal is, in pose problems which are different deed, popularly deplored as a desh from those of the incoming refugee Although Durga Puja is celebrat forsaken even by the Pandavas. frorn East Bengal. They do not ed mainly in Bengal, Dassara is crowd around Sealdah. They star! observed throughout India. Divali, A ' PHOBLEM STATE ' squatters' colonies in Calcutta's again, is a festival which is familiar streets. They naturally" cluster in all parts of India. But the cere West Bengal lives up to its tradi around Auckland House, the Ali- mony differs in details in various tion. In Calcutta, today, troubles pore headquarters of Government's parts of the country. In Bengal, and problems are of daily occur rehabilitation department. They ask the Goddess Kali is worshipped on rence. If the city's workers are not for fresh loans. They do not get the day when the dark fortnight shouting slogans in streets, its Mar- loans. But Government takes them ends. Throughout India, the non- wari population is staging a de back again to some rehabilitation Bengali Hindu business community monstration against cow slaughter. centres within the State. observes the occasion as the begin If, on any day, there is no labour ning of the new business year. trouble, one may be sure of some They reveal poignant signs of thing unseemly happening in the frustration and incompetence, even FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Assembly. If there is no social or as they deepen the doubt whether But the Festival of Lights is ob economic or political disturbance, Government will ever succeed in served throughout India. Its mean the city's attention may be diverted rehabilitating them. Unlike the ing and significance are the same to the resumed influx of East Ben Sindhis and Punjabis, the East Ben everywhere in India. It marks the gal refugees. gal refugee lacks adaptability. West end of autumn, and the beginning Pakistan refugees can be found in of winter. In India, festivals have Most of Calcutta's social, econo mic and political troubles are aggra all parts of India. They may not close associations with the climate like the employment they get or the and the various seasons. By the end vated by the refugee problem. In the last two months, there has been place they now live in. But they of autumn, the harvests have been are not the grousing type. They gathered. The barns are now full. a revised influx of refugees from two directions. Some of the inmates somehow manage to fit into their The toil is over. And the people new surroundings. The East Bengal are in a mood to enjoy themselves. of refugee camps in the neighbour ing States are coming back to Cal refugees' incapacity to adapt them It begins with the festival of the cutta. These are the old refugees. selves is the main obstacle to their Nine Nights. It ends with Divali. They complain about the uncon rehabilitation. And on Divali day, at the darkest genial and strange surroundings in EAST BENGAL EXODUS hour of the dark fortnight, the oil which they are being forced to live. lamps are lit to lead the people on They have made an effort. But, It is not the resumed influx of to safety during the long wintry they admit, they have not succeeded these refugees which is now draw nights ahead. These oil lamps sig in acclimatising themselves to the ing attention to the refugee prob nify hope. Even as they dispel dark new environment. lem. There has been influx of re ness* they are symbolic of the peo fugees from East Bengal for the ple's faith that good will overcome Most of the East Bengal refugees last few months. It began in July. evil. It is this, and similar other are now habituated to the climate In the second half of September" the common beliefs, that unite India, and conditions in and around Cal influx increased appreciably. Daily although habits, customs and the cutta. But they really do not seem arrivals at Sealdah station averaged institutionalised religious functions to feel happy anywhere west of about seven hundred persons. The are different in different parts of Khulna. That is why they are re daily average continues at four hun the country. turning to Calcutta from refugee dred persons. Sealdah has, again, camps in the neighbouring States. become a crowded railway terminus. West Bengal will be plagued with They were given land. But they com Neither are these refugees too will problems as long as it exists. Parti plain that they cannot live in, or ing to go to Government relief 1173
THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY October 26, 1954 camps, nor has Government facili- on which the United Front won Rs 32 crores for the current and,the. ties to arrange for their transfer to elections in East Pakistan. With next two financial yean on refugee such ramps. Most of them remain the replacement of the Huq Ministry rehabilitation? The forthcoming stranded in and around the Sealdah by an authoritarian regime, the conference of Rehabilitation Mi station. Front's economic programme could nisters will formulate a plan for the not be implemented. Economic dis phased implementation of the recom The problem of the resumed in tress has been aggravated by flood mendations of the Committee of flux of East Bengal refugees will no damage to the jute crop. In the Ministers. last two years, Pakistan has lost the doubt he discussed at the conference Rehabilitation of East Bengal re advantages of a plus-valued cur of Rehabilitation Ministers next fugres will not be easy. It will take rency. To placate the majority com month. The resumed influx has in time. It will not be completed or munity, the authoritarian regime in creased the strain on the West Ben prove successful unless it is dove Eastern Pakistan is alleged to have gal Government's limited resources. tailed into the West Bengal Govern connived at a policy of economic. It is reported to have requested the ment's plans for the encouragement discrimination against East Bengal Central Government for increased of small townships and small-scale Hindus, In recent months, there aid. This and similar other aspects auxiliary industries. Even then, it is have been many cancellations of of. the refugee problem will be dis -doubtful whether the problem can licences and agencies in oil and cussed in the conference of the Re be solved satisfactorily without bring petrol held by East Bengal Hindus. habilitation Ministers of five Stales ing about certain drastic changes in As the depression has deepened, next month. Meanwhile, the alarm the social and occupational pattern there has been a tendency to pursue ing increase in the influx of East of West Bengal. It would be futile a more vigorous policy of economic Bengal refugees raises the wider to ignore the enormity of the task- discrimination against Hindus. problem of its nature and scope. But it would be equally suicidal to ignore the sinister implications of the This is the broader politico-econo REASONS FOR INFLUX problem. Like the displaced per mic background against which the sons from West Pakistan, the East In Calcutta, recently. Pakistan's resumed exodus of East Bengal Bengal refugees will have to be Central Minister for Minorities, Hindus has to be viewed. It is settled and rehabilitated. Authority Mr Giasuddin Pathan offered an clear that even after seven years of must assume this responsibility and explanation for the resumed influx partition, the East Bengal Hindus discharge it with speed. of East Bengal refugees. According do not feel economically secure in to him. this is due to economic rea their homeland. It is this basic sons. There is some circumstantial aspect of the problem which needs evidence, in support of this expla detailed investigation during the pro nation. It will not be denied that posed joint tour of East Bengal by East Bengal is suffering from an the Minority Ministers of India and acute economic depression. Con Pakistan. But the resumed influx of trary to expectations, there was no East Bengal refugees into Calcutta is influx of refugees at the time the a fresh reminder of the need for Huq Ministry was replaced by a Authority in this country to be pre military administration. The influx pared to deal with the refugee pro started long after these political de blem on a more permanent basis. velopments, and was not directly due to these events. PROMPT ACTION NEEDED These are plausible arguments, Some months ago, New Delhi but they do not obscure the under assured Calcutta that with the vir lying political factors. Despite the tual completion of the problem of blood bath in 1950, East Bengal rehabilitation of West Pakistan re Hindus have suffered mainly from fugees, its attention and resources economic, rather than political, dis would be concentrated on the pro crimination. Both before and after blem of rehabilitating East Bengal 1950, the East Bengal Hindus have refugees. In the third week of found it difficult to earn a living November, the Rehabilitation Mi in East Pakistan. Economic factors nisters of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, explain the continued influx of East Assam and Tripura will meet in a Bengal Hindus. But these economic- conference to discuss the problem of factors originate from political in East Bengal refugees. Both the fluences, it so happened that Paki Union Rehabilitation Minister and stan was enjoying a boom in 1950 his adviser will attend this con and in a few succeeding years. ference. Economic discrimination was thus They will meet not to formulate, not felt acutely then by the minority but to implement, a plan for reha community. With the onset of de bilitating East Bengal refugees. pression, the economic disadvantages Some months ago, a Committee of are being felt. Ministers, composed of West Ben gal's Chief Minister and the Union FREER FLOW OF TRADE Ministers of Finance and Rehabilita A freer flow of trade between the tion, examined the problem in de two Bengals was one of the issues tail. They recommended an outlay of 1175